Hand hygiene is life-saving, as WHO reminds us every year on 5 May
5.5.2023
Translation: Megan Cornish
How many times a day do you do it? Not what you’re thinking. I mean: how often do you wash or sanitise your hands each day? The World Health Organization’s annual World Hand Hygiene Day reminds us how important it is to keep our hands clean. That day’s today.
Clean, germ-free hands can save lives. They’re a vital part of preventing infections, in terms of providing care, in hospital and – as Covid-19 taught us – in everyday life.
The World Health Organization (WHO) launched World Hand Hygiene Day as early as 2009 and chose 5 May as the date. How come? Because it’s easy to remember: it’s the fifth day of the fifth month, and you have five fingers on each hand.
Source: Sarah Bresan
A bit of history: the «saviour of mothers» discovered hand disinfection
In the 19th century, the Hungarian-Austrian obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis (in German) discovered that washing hands and disinfecting them saves lives. At a Viennese clinic, he recognised the connection between the extremely high death rate from childbed fever – the death of a mother after childbirth – and unclean hands.
He also found that washing hands with soap alone isn’t enough. So, in 1847, Semmelweis made washing with chlorinated lime – a disinfectant – compulsory in the maternity clinic. The death rate dropped. He’s therefore regarded as the inventor of hand disinfection and is also known as the «saviour of mothers». Disinfectants as we use them today were invented in 1924.
Keeping your hands clean today
Hand hygiene isn’t just about hand disinfection. It’s also important to wash and moisturise your hands. When washing, it’s important to lather your hands with soap, not just rinse them under water. This is enough for everyday life.
But if you work in healthcare or care for ill people at home, you should disinfect your hands regularly.
You also shouldn’t forget to protect your hands with cream. This is also part of skin protection (in German), because healthy, smooth skin surfaces are easier to disinfect and offer fewer surfaces for bacteria to attack than damaged skin.
Source: Sarah Bresan
Frequent hand washing in particular affects the natural lipid film and can lead to brittle and cracked skin. For example, if you often wear (disposable) gloves at work, this can promote a humid climate and cause the skin to swell. To combat this, you should use hand cream regularly – not just on World Hand Hygiene Day.
Header image: Sarah Bresan
Sarah Bresan
Senior Editor
sarah.bresan@galaxus.deFresh out of the world of television and into the galaxy of e-commerce. Almost always in a good mood, loves to laugh and is up for any nonsense. Loves everything to do with food and cooking, 80s music and the colour pink!
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